About the Readiness Toolkit
The National Pediatric Readiness Project (NPRP) is a national quality improvement initiative co-led by the Health Resources Services Administration’s (HRSA) Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Emergency Nurses Association. The NPRP Toolkit is a comprehensive and dynamic set of resources coordinated by the Emergency Medical Services for Children Innovation and Improvement Center (EIIC) with the support and contribution of numerous national experts. This toolkit is available as a free open-access resource intended for use by all providers (e.g. technicians, nurses, physicians, EMS providers, and ancillary staff) across the spectrum of pediatric emergency care to help facilitate delivery of high quality care to all children.
The NPRP Toolkit content is organized by the seven domains of pediatric readiness: Administration and Coordination; Healthcare Provider Competencies; Quality Improvement; Policies and Procedures; Patient Safety; Support Services; and Equipment, Supplies, and Medications. The tools and resources align with the joint policy statement “Pediatric Readiness in the Emergency Department” and will assist pediatric emergency care providers to better understand and achieve the components of pediatric readiness in their emergency department (as highlighted in the NPRP Assessment). The NPRP toolkit also provides support and recommendations for other stakeholders involved in pediatric emergency care such as hospital directors, quality improvement leaders, family advisory network personnel, caregivers, and patients.
The materials included in the NPRP Toolkit will be updated periodically to ensure the latest recommendations and guidelines are included. Sign in or create an account to stay connected to receive notifications when new materials are added and help ensure we are meeting the needs of all users.
Thank you for your dedication to the emergency care needs of children!
This checklist is based on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), and Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) 2018 joint policy statement “Pediatric Readiness in the Emergency Department,” which can be found online. Use this tool to check if your hospital emergency department (ED) has the most critical components listed in this joint policy statement.
Any resources indicated with an asterisk (*) are pulled from the 2012 Toolkit and currently being updated (if needed). Check back frequently for updated content.
Administration and Coordination of the ED for the Care of Children
This section contains resources regarding the qualifications and responsibilities for the physician and nursing Pediatric emergency care coodinator (PECC) staffing your emergency department (ED).
- Importance of the Pediatric Care Coordinator
- Role Responsibilities of a MD ED Coordinator
- Role Responsibilities of a Nursing ED Coordinator
- Is Your ED Ready for Children? Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinators Lead the Way to Readiness! This webinar shares data supporting the need for pediatric emergency care coordinators (PECC), as well as strategies employed to identify and assure availability of PECCs in the EDs of a large hospital system.
Revised in 2020 by:
- Mohsen Saidinejad, MD, MBA, FAAP, FACEP
- Sam Shahid, MBBS, MPH
Physicians, Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), Nurses, and Other ED Healthcare Providers
This section contains resources regarding the necessary skills, knowledge, and training in emergency evaluation and treatment of children of all ages among staff in your emergency department (ED).
- Equipment Competency Validation Record
- Physical Assessment Pediatric Checklist
- Orientation Knowledge and Skills Checklist for the Registered Nurse
Revised in 2020 by:
- Marc Auerbach, MD, FAAP, MSc
- Catherine Olson, MSN, RN
- Mohsen Saidinejad, MD, MBA, FAAP, FACEP
- Theresa A. Walls, MD, MPH
Guidelines for QI/PI in the ED
This section contains resources regarding the integration of pediatric patient care-review processes into the Quality Improvement (QI)/Performance Improvement (PI) plan of your emergency department (ED).
Site Assessment and Checklist:
Disease Specific QI tools:
QI Data Analysis and QI Education:
- HCA Pediatric Readiness Gap Analysis (Example)
- Rapid-Cycle Improvement: Controlling Change
- Quality Improvement Concepts
- Pediatric Readiness Data: An Opportunity to Improve Quality of Care in Your Emergency Department. This webinar, occurring on December 17, 2014, defined quality improvement, highlighted key components of the quality improvement process, and discussed how to apply essential quality improvement methodologies to improve pediatric emergency care using the National Pediatric Readiness data.
Revised in 2020 by:
- Sujit Iyer, MD
- Elizabeth Stone, PhD, RN, FAEN, CPEN, CHSE
ED Policies, Procedures, and Protocols
The sample policies in this section are based on actual policies currently in use in emergency departments around the country.
Systems
All-Hazard Disaster Preparedness
- Checklist of Essential Pediatric Domains and Considerations for Every Hospital's Disaster Preparedness Policies Note that two versions of the checklist are available: an interactive pdf for use on desktop and laptop computers and a static, printable pdf for tablet devices. (2014) *
ENA Related Statements:
Currently under revision by:
- Steve Krug, MD
Clinical Evidence-Based Guidelines
Inter-facility Transfers
- Interfacility Transfer Toolkit (To take advantage of the product's interactive features, allow it to open in full screen mode.) *
Currently under revision by:
- Natalie E. Lane, MD
Guidelines for Improving Pediatric Patient Safety
This section contains resources regarding the delivery of pediatric care in your emergency department that reflects an awareness of unique pediatric patient safety concerns.
- EBroselow System *
- Pediatric Resuscitation and Emergency Medications - Excel Calculator *
- Quick Reference Code Cards * (Developed by UCLA Harbor Medical Center, these code cards include reference information about pediatric sedation, intubation, vitals, medications, equipment, EKGs, and status epileptics.)
- Key Points on Medication Errors *
Currently under revision by:
- Toni Gross, MD, MPH, FAAP
- Madeline Joseph, MD, FAAP, FACEP
Equipment, Supplies, and Medications for the Care of Pediatric Patients in the ED
This section contains a checklist of all the pediatric equipment, supplies, and medications necessary to care for children of all ages and sizes.
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- National Pediatric Readiness Project
- About
- Assessment
- Readiness Toolkit
- Results and Findings
- Project Partners
- Get Ready for the Next Assessment!
- Steering Committee
- Spread the Word
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